Alma es consultora independiente en derechos humanos con 20 años de experiencia en el acompañamiento a víctimas y sobrevivientes de la violencia sociopolítica en México y Centroamérica, particularmente en el tema migratorio, desapariciones forzadas y víctimas/sobrevivientes de violencia por razones de género. Ha realizado labores de incidencia en políticas públicas nacionales y regionales, documentación y análisis de violaciones a los derechos humanos, acompañamiento psicosocial, político y organizativo. Le apasiona la justicia restaurativa y de las herramientas para construir la paz desde la sanación y la transformación personal y colectiva. Es Trabajadora Social por la Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, hermana de 7 personas, y cuidadora de una madre con Alzheimer, periférica, tercermundista y sobreviviente. Guardiana de los círculos de sanación en Hidden Water para la comunidad hispanohablante. IG yo_soy_alma

Amelia (she/her) is a PhD student in clinical psychology at the City College of New York. As a former middle school teacher, she is passionate about partnering with schools and families to improve the lives of children and adolescents. Through Hidden Water, Amelia has learned the strength of collective healing, and this understanding of community as a therapeutic force has guided her work as an aspiring psychologist. She is a graduate of Cornell University, where she studied psychology and feminist, gender, and sexuality studies. Amelia lives in Brooklyn, New York, where she enjoys reading, watching movies, and experimenting with food.

Ann brings to Hidden Water her experience as a Resonant Healing Coach and Family & Systemic Constellations Facilitator. While once an Outward Bound instructor, she now guides others to explore the wilderness within and accompanies them on the journey to find the roots of harm in family patterns and what came down through ancestral lines. She helps demystify the overlaying climate and conditions forming and influencing the contexts of our lives. She has a never-ending curiosity for why we are who we are and is an assistant for Sarah Peyton in her programs teaching the neuroscience of human behavior. She is also on her own healing path to disentangle and repair the sheared threads of her past harm and is reweaving all with thought and care into something beautiful. She believes wholeheartedly in the potential of transformation through community. Ann has training in restorative process, circle process, and has over 10 years of training in trauma healing. She is a survivor, an advocate, a facilitator, and a mother of four— all now young adults. She lives with 2 horses, 1 donkey, and 2 dogs in rural Montana.

After spending 10 years away from the American Southeast where they grew up, Anna (they/she) settled in North Charleston, South Carolina where they work as a community organizer for a local grassroots organization. They love their work because it allows them to build meaningful relationships with people from all kinds of backgrounds, and because it lets them spend their days working to dismantle the oppressive systems in our community. Throughout their time with Hidden Water, they have been amazed to learn how deeply they crave to heal in community with others who can relate to their experiences. Anna graduated from Seattle University with a BA in History and French Language, and from the School for International Training with an MA in Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation.

Anna is a finance professional with an Economics degree from Smith College and a CFP® designation from the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. She was an equity and fixed income structured products specialist on Wall Street directly out of college. She stepped away from finance to raise her three sons in New York City before returning to finance as a CFP®. Anna is also a Tony Award winning co-producer of LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT on Broadway and a producer of CARRY ME HOME for Showtimes Network. Anna was raised in Southern California and is a long-time resident of New York City.

Anne Marie has been facilitating group processes to address harm and hurt for many years. As a social worker and community development coordinator she used Circle processes to support people with traumatic brain damage return to their families and communities after long periods of hospitalization. Employed as a workplace counselor, Anne Marie was first on the scene when organizations were shaken by traumatic or violent events, offering psychological first aid and critical incident debriefing to groups and individuals impacted by harm. She has conducted many community and workplace conferences using Circles of Support and Restorative Conferences as powerful processes to repair harm, restore relationships, and settle on meaningful reparation. Anne Marie believes strongly that using a structured conversation supported by a transformative process gives power back to groups and communities so that together they can set things right, allowing true healing to happen and people to move on. Anne Marie has a Masters degree in Conflict Resolution and Mediation.

Asuna (she/they) hails from Japan and identifies as a TCK, queer, East Asian immigrant in the US, omnist, HSP, holder of ancestral, intergenerational, and personal trauma, and a lover of life and nature. She is a social worker and drama therapist by trade with over a decade of experience working with survivors of trauma and gender-based violence. She currently works as a psychotherapist, coach, and consultant. Prior to formally entering the field of mental health, Asuna studied music theatre and worked as an actor and teacher for several years. Deeply passionate about adding more healing spaces into the world in order to build a more peaceful and just world, Asuna takes a decolonizing, anti-oppressive, compassion-based approach in all they do. She is a true believer in the power of Circle and storytelling, and has trained with Strong Oak Lefebvre and at The Restorative Center in NYC.

Brandon’s career as an activist for LGBTQ+ rights and equality began when he came out as a gay man in 2007. He took part in the National Equality March in 2010 to repeal DOMA and support marriage equality and served a two-year term in the Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth. Since moving to the tri-state area, Brandon has become a Planning Change certified mediator and circle keeper with a focus on continuing to help his community and individuals heal from sexual trauma. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Eugene Lang The New School of Liberal Arts, and spent his academic career focusing on the intersection of trauma and the psychology of men and masculinity. Brandon is also a Usui Reiki practitioner (certified in 2013) and a professional photographer.

Brian has been a student of change for almost five decades. Since his freshman year in college, he has intentionally engaged in social, organizational, and personal change. Two of the most transformational changes in his life were coming out as a gay man after nine years of marriage and adopting his son, who is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. Brian saw the incredible healing his son Brandon was able to achieve by participating in a Green Circle and completed his own Blue Circle. Since then, Brian has trained as a Circle Keeper and has kept several Blue Circles. Brian recognizes that some of us are born into families where a parent or parents survived CSA, others have family members experience CSA during our lifetimes, and yet others recognize the harm of CSA when we enter a relationship. Despite these different paths to the Blue Circle, each finds their own path to healing in Circle.

Brooke has always enjoyed working with families to improve the welfare and safety of children. She values Hidden Water’s individual and collective approach to healing and believes it’s an effective tool to ending intergenerational trauma. For her, Circle has transformed a feeling of harm into a source of strength, dignity, and connectedness, and she is honored to be part of this community. Brooke received her Bachelor ofScience in psychology from Portland State University and lives in West Linn, Oregon.

Cecilia B. Loving is Deputy Commissioner and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer (“CDIO”) at the Fire Department of New York City, where she provides leadership for developing and maintaining a positive and holistic work environment for over 17,000 members. She is founder of the Mindfulness Group at FDNY, where she distributes both a Diversity and Inclusion Newsletter and a Mindfulness Newsletter. She is Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the NYC Bar Association’s Committee on Mindfulness and Well-Being in the Law. In addition to obtaining her Juris Doctor from NYU School of Law, Cecilia obtained her BFA from Howard University, her MFA from UCLA and her MDiv from New York Theological Seminary. She received the New York Law School Black Law Student Association Award for Community Service, FDNY Women’s History Award, the Women on the Front Line of Gender Justice, and several other awards. She has written several books, including God is a Lawyer Too and Ten Laws of Unlimited Success, as well as numerous articles and blogs, including “The Power of Inclusion: Treating Others Well is Essential to Our Well-Being”; “More Support for Mindfulness: Reduction of Implicit Bias”; and “Restorative Circles: Finding Solutions from Ancient Traditions.”

Chi is a survivor, restorative justice facilitator, and cultural development strategist. Chi got his start leading transformational experiences on the day he graduated high school, when he joined the faculty of North America’s largest retreat center—Kripalu—as a program manager and movement catalyst. Since then, he has created powerful breakthrough learning and leadership development experiences for non-profit, government, and Fortune 500 teams and leaders. As an executive coach, learning designer, trainer, and certified facilitator, Chi consults, develops, and mentors on human-centered communication, Design Thinking, innovation, and change management for people at all levels, from front-line workers to C-Suite executives. He holds a Bachelor in Education from Lesley University and a Master of Fine Arts from Columbia University. Chi has been volunteering as a Circle Keeper with Hidden Water since 2021. When not keeping circles, you’ll find Chi swimming laps, practicing yoga, or slowly consuming rice pudding.

Christine has been an educator for over 30 years and school administrator for 12 years on the traditional territories of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council, also known as Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada. She now teaches at Yukon University in their Faculty of Education, where she coaches new teachers on how to create classrooms and schools where people feel safe, loved and celebrated. She has a Master’s in Education from the University of Ottawa and is a certified instructor with Mindful Schools. She is also a Restorative Justice teacher and facilitator having been trained through various Indigenous and Settler mentors and elders.Her most fulfilling work began 17 years ago when she discovered the power of the trifecta of the Be the Change Movement, Mindfulness and Restorative Practices. It was the beginning of a new life for her school community which has a high Indigenous population and suffers inter-generational effects of colonization and residential schools. In the past 6 years, now retired from public education, she continues to support mental health wellness through circle keeping for Hidden Water as well as other organizations such as Yukon Circle of Change, Millennium Forum Circle of Support and Accountability San Diego and Safeplace International

Christine is a mother of 3 amazing children and grandmother (“Glammy”) to 3 wonderful grandchildren. Christine works full-time in the telecommunications industry where she has honed her skills for the last 25 years in Marketing, Sales Operations, and Organizational Development & Learning. Outside of work, she lends her passion and skills to her role as an Orange Keeper for Hidden Water. Christine is committed to supporting parents in understanding the restorative justice process and the benefits of healing and rebuilding trust. She wholeheartedly believes in the healing power of being in Circle with others of shared experience and welcomes the opportunity to share her knowledge of the path to the healing from harm.

Chris believes in restorative dialogue as the key component to holistic healing. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree and is currently employed in the service industry, where he has the opportunity to interact with people from all walks of life. Chris has experience in group therapy as a participant, as well as over 13 years of practice as a therapy facilitator. He has learned that there can be no life change without resolving conflict and building relationships. He believes that valuing all inputs leads to a full understanding of the dynamics of abuse and results in restorative outcomes for the family and community. Chris’s philosophy is that all human beings have more in common than not, and he believes that safe havens of nonjudgmental forums for free expression are needed to stop silent suffering and promote healing.

Daniel (he/him) is a healer and artist living in Jersey City, New Jersey after relocating from his hometown in South, Texas over 5 years ago. He is an actor and nightlife entertainer in New York City and has an Associate of Occupational Studies from The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He brings his compassionate and present qualities from his performance life into circle where he engages his spiritual skillset as a Blue Circle Keeper. As a Reiki practitioner and eclectic witch, he loves sinking into the practice of being present in circle, it's indigenous connection to the earth, and finding the love, compassion, and healing that each person deserves around harm. Daniel identifies as a gay Mexican-American and believes his heritage and identity is something to be celebrated and helps provide a unique prospective in the circle. Through Hidden Water Daniel has learned the joy in finding healing within a community of vast experiences. If he is not performing or in circle he can be found spending time with his partner, another circle keeper, their three dogs: Colin, Penny, and Steve, baking, or creating new things.

Deborah is an academic and licensed therapist currently teaching at Columbia University in the Narrative Medicine Department. Her recent work focuses on how healthcare is delivered in contemporary culture, including wellness trends and end-of-life issues. Deborah holds an M.S. in Narrative Medicine, M.S. in Neuroscience, and a Ph.D. in Psychology. Before pursuing an academic career, she spent ten years in litigation consulting, researching how people make decisions in complex matters, developing trial strategies and assisting with jury selection. Deborah is passionate about using narrative as a tool for education and transformation, including bringing difficult/taboo topics into the light.

Denise found her love for research at Drew University where she earned her BA in Behavioral Science. Following her passion for connecting with people, she began working and conducting research clinically in the field of behavior analysis. She earned her PH.D. in Applied Behavior Analysis from Caldwell University, and has taught at St. Joseph's and Rowan Universities. After getting involved with Hidden Water and completing restorative justice circle keeper training with Elizabeth Clements, Denise sees the value in the work that Hidden Water does and is committed to helping non-profits use research methods to evaluate the impact they are having on those seeking services.

Elizabeth (she/her) is a social worker at heart. She has always been interested in the intersection of social work and the law. She attended Columbia University School of Social Work where she graduated with a Masters in Social Work and a Minor in Law. She immediately went to work in the field of conflict resolution and has been practicing alternative dispute resolution (ADR) since 1997. Elizabeth is the Executive Director of Hidden Water, a non-profit she founded in 2014 that helps families heal and resolve conflict around the painful impact of Childhood Sexual Abuse. Elizabeth is also the principal trainer at Planning Change, whose mission it is to educate and empower individuals to affect meaningful change in the conflicts around them. In addition to those endeavors, Elizabeth also works as a mediator, a coach, and a shaman, and speaks regularly at events and conferences.

‍

‍Visit elizabethclemants.com

Emily is a passionate restorative justice practitioner, mediator, activist and healer. For the past three years, Emily has been working from all angles across New York City to elevate restorative practices. She previously served as the Restorative Justice Coordinator in an East Brooklyn public school for two years, working to build socio-emotional support structures for students and reduce the school's reliance on punitive measures. Emily is a certified criminal court mediator with New York Peace Institute, and most recently, the Program Coordinator of Young New Yorkers' art-based court diversion programs for justice-involved youth. She is currently pursuing a license in clinical social work from The Smith College School for Social Work. Emily believes community-based, innovative responses to conflict can transform and heal our deeply broken systems. She integrates an intersectional lens of race, gender and class to her Circle facilitation at Hidden Water.

Eric is a private practice Psychotherapist trained at Boston College. He is also a Founder of Quantum Warrior, an organization dedicated to healing the wounded masculine heart. Through both one-on-one and group work, Eric facilitates a conscious exploration of self, other and culture by bravely diving into the vulnerability of our individual and shared humanity. Eric received training in Attachment, Regulation and Competency (ARC) Framework at the Trauma Center in Boston. Additionally, he was trained in yoga therapy at the 2015 Trauma Center Summer Institute and is a certified Tai Chi Instructor through the Tai Chi for Health Institute. Eric is presently working on a joint venture with the Stanford Peace Innovation Lab developing a podcast, Men’s Reckoning, holding innovative conversations designed to explore the possibility of masculinity as pro-social, adaptive and a scalable construct. He is also a dad, son, husband and movement enthusiast of many kinds. The ground of all his work is in a deep interest of the spiritual, cultural and scientific.

Erica Buchman is a dedicated advocate for community healing and psycho-education. Discovering the profound benefits of therapy, she embarked on a later-in-life educational path. Erica is currently pursuing a Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy. As a firm believer in the healing power of bringing people together, Erica actively facilitates events that create spaces for shared experiences. Erica volunteers for the Psychedelic Access Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to funding psychedelic therapy for those who lack financial means. With a profound belief in the therapeutic value of open dialogue, Erica champions the idea that talking helps release trauma from the body. She is dedicated to creating safe spaces where individuals can engage in these conversations and experience profound healing. As an advocate for holistic well-being, Erica is also a fan of integrating mindful breathing practices into daily routines. Outside her professional and community engagement, Erica finds joy and fulfillment in her role as a wife and mother of five children. Residing in New Jersey, she embodies her belief in the power of community, both within her family and in her broader efforts to contribute to the healing journey of others.

Glen has been a restorative justice practitioner since 2011 and has conducted circles in schools and communities throughout New York City. He is also an RJ and ADR trainer

Josh is an inner explorer who loves circle. He has practiced yoga and meditation for over 35 years and is very interested in the use of yoga, meditation and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in the healing of trauma. Circle brings together lifelong passions for Josh of Inner Journeying, Storytelling, Compassion, and Empowerment. He recognizes that as a white man, he has a responsibility to do compassionate, ongoing work to identify and own ways in which he contributes to racism and sexism. And, he is also committed to making resources for healing from child sexual abuse and trafficking more accessible to male survivors. Josh is a writer and musician and helps non-profits create engaging websites. He is married with 2 children.

Julia is committed to circle as a process for transforming harm into healing and believes we have limitless capacity to grow, change, and heal. For her, circle is a space that allows us to listen to ourselves and others on a deeper level. Circle fosters mindfulness of how the trauma of CSA lives on in us and offers opportunities to notice and shift our relationship to our inner worlds and other parts of our lives. Julia is committed to understanding ways we learn to exile others, and vital parts of ourselves, in the face of harm and intolerable experiences of shame. She believes vitality, abundance, and resistance to domination can emerge through transformative relationships and the continuous repair of divisions within our hearts, minds, and bodies. She has a Master’s in Social Work from Columbia University.

Katie (she/her) is a peacebuilder and survivor who is passionate about the intersection of disability and conflict transformation. She also loves to bake. Katie lives in eastern Pennsylvania, where she grew up. She is a graduate of Goucher College (B.A. in Peace Studies & Africana Studies) and SIT Graduate Institute (M.A. in Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation).

Kimacka is a native of Flint, Michigan and has served in leadership in both diagnostic and clinical drug development laboratory spaces over the past 10 years. Kimacka has also served as a ministry leader, chaplain, and volunteer advocate. A medical laboratory scientist by trade, she has a passion for the underserved and marginalized. She earned a Bachelors of Science in Biology (University of Michigan-Flint), Masters of Science in Management (Indiana Wesleyan University), Masters of Divinity (Christian Theological Seminary), and holds a national medical laboratory science certification (American Society of Clinical Pathology). She and her husband are the proud parents of three children who are all on the autism spectrum and run a nonprofit geared towards addressing the gaps when race and autism intersect. Kimacka is a survivor who began her own healing journey at the height of the pandemic and has a desire to walk along side others on the path to healing. Kimacka seeks to advocate for those pushed to the margins within their own communities. Her goal is to illuminate injustices infringed upon women and children both within and beyond predominately black spaces. Her personal mission is to give voice to the unheard and to inspire change.

Laurent has been circle keeping for Hidden Water for many seasons. He has been held accountable and takes responsibility for the harm he has caused and is eager to pass his knowledge along to others in Purple Circles as a Circle Keeper. Laurent believes that Circles allow people who have caused harm to come to terms with what they have done.  From Laurent’s own experience in Circle, he has seen that people can hold themselves accountable and responsible and do the healing necessary to make the changes they need to prevent themselves from causing any more harm to others, allowing them to live a fuller and happier life with dignity. In his professional life he is a construction worker and photographer. As a photographer, he enjoys capturing folks "in their moments" and focuses on the LGBTQIA+ community and nightlife artists and performers. When he is not working, he enjoys spending time with his fiancé (another Circle Keeper) and their dogs (Colin, Penny, and Steve - pictured), riding his motorcycle, playing video games, and caring for a saltwater aquarium.

Liliana Riva Palacio is an educational psychologist, actress, lighting designer for the performing arts, cultural producer, and founder and general director of the Proyecto ConcentrArte. Liliana is currently the Director of the ConcentrArte Project association, which she founded. In this role, she developed several social development projects including: promotion of the rights of girls and boys through art, resilience for hospitalized children, environmental education, community development with native peoples, food sovereignty, among others. Under her direction Proyecto ConcentrArte was awarded the 2013 Ecological Merit Award in the category of non-formal education, the Razón de Ser award in the category of Educational Creativity for its methodology, the Infinite Window in 2014, and the 2021 Community Development award by Fundación Compartir. Liliana recently received her certification as a permaculturist from the Mesoamerican Permaculture Institute, Guatemala. In 2020, she was invited by the National System of Creators to participate in the evaluation commission for the category “scenography design, lighting, sound, and costumes FONCA 2020/22 and in 2015 she participated in a TEDx talk to share her work with the Wixarika people. She has been an educator for over 30 years and a national trainer for CONACULTA for the program "Wings for Our Dreams for Children's Hospitals".

Patricia McCormick (she/hers) is a writer. She's the author of several young adult books, including CUT, SOLD and Never Fall Down. She is the co-author, with Malala Yousafzai, of the young reader's edition of I am Malala. She has master's degrees in journalism and creative writing and has also put social justice and the welfare of women and children at the center of her work.

Ronelle Kallman is a newly minted Junior Keeper, honored to be connected to and participating in Hidden Water. She was an elementary school teacher in New York City, currently ‘working through’ what retirement means to her (without complaint).

She loves to bike outside of NYC where she lives and enjoys reading historical romances. On a deeper level, she is learning more about restorative justice as a framework which has shifted her engagement to the world that she continues to feel hopeful about.  If asked about this amazing community, she would say, “Hidden Water gives me the loving nudge to interact more brightly with myself, my family and others.”

Roseanne Malfucci is a life-long advocate for equity and access, using her own stories to illuminate macro issues for marginalized people. She has written on grappling with queerness as a cis person with a trans partner, learning to accept her breasts, and negotiating privilege in the workplace. Roseanne’s previous roles include coaching tech execs and tackling gender justice in an intimate violence non-profit; she also helped build the platform for the largest global LGBTQ rights organization on the web. She is currently directing THE SUM OF OUR PARTS, a documentary on the power of relationships to heal trauma. She lives in the Hudson Valley, where she constantly rearranges furniture with her partner Kelly and their chihuahua-cattle dog mix Wylie.

Scott Yess is a grandfather, father, retired biologist, and former Peace Corps volunteer.  His family experienced child sexual abuse over 20 years ago. It was extremely difficult to find meaningful help.  Fortunately, Hidden Water was developed. Scott participated in his first circle many years ago when Hidden Water was first established. After his first circle, he trained to become a keeper to continue his healing journey with Hidden Water. This has been a life changing experience for Scott and he continues to heal with every circle he is involved in.

Sethu seeks to generate personal and social transformation by addressing and repairing harm in relationships and developing creative responses to conflict. Sethu is a mediator, coach, and peacemaker. She spends her time shaping and managing conflict responses for New York City government employees at the Center for Creative Conflict Resolution, facilitating Healing Circles at Hidden Water and supporting her family, friends and community. Over the last 15 years, Sethu has supported various human rights and social justice organizations in New York and India. She has worked on family matters, small business disputes, nonprofit staff and board challenges, community discord and has provided conflict and leadership coaching. Sethu holds a Bachelor’s degree in Women’s Studies from SUNY Purchase and a Master’s degree in Economic and Political Development from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University.

Shira (she/her) has dedicated herself to the work of love in action. A proud queer, Jewish mother and survivor, Shira draws on the wisdom of her own life’s journey as she supports others to show up exactly as they are and be seen, accepted, and appreciated. It is her mission to support people to express their authentic selves, maintain their sense of power and connection during hard conversations, and influence systemic changes that lead to social justice. Shira serves as the President/CEO at the Center for Dispute Settlement, a community dispute resolution center serving the Rochester, New York and Finger Lakes region. She is currently working to create spaces for community dialogue about Palestine/Israel. She also enjoys listening to live music, playing with her dogs, singing, songwriting, and spiritual exploration.

Taylan is a queer and trans survivor and activist dedicated to co-creating spaces for collective healing and empowerment, and ending cycles of violence. They work in gender-based violence policy, research, prevention, and response services through various city, state, and national organizations. Taylan has worked with survivors since 2014 through research, community organizing, and education with a particular focus on working with transgender survivors. As a survivor of child sexual abuse, Taylan believes in the strength of survivor-led movements and empowering survivors to enact individual and collective healing and change, and aims to root their work in anti-oppression, disability empowerment, gender liberation, and racial justice. They hold a B.A. in Women’s and Gender Studies from Bucknell University, an M.A. in Gender, Violence and Conflict from the University of Sussex, and an M.S.W. with a Certificate in Trauma Practice from Simmons University.

Taylor began her journey in alternative dispute resolution during her internship at Planning Change in the summer of 2011. After completing her studies at the University of Minnesota, she relocated to New York City to join Planning Change as a full-time team member. During this period, Taylor also completed her mediation certification training. In 2015, while supporting the foundational development of Hidden Water, Taylor trained with Kay Pranis in the transformative practice of Peacemaking Circles. This experience deepened her understanding of restorative justice principles and their application in fostering healing and resolution. After moving to Lusaka, Zambia, Taylor expanded her expertise in communications and nonprofit program management while working for FSD Zambia and USAID.

In 2020, Taylor rejoined Hidden Water after the birth of her first son. She plays a key role in nurturing the growth of the organization's programming and systems, and she provides support for many of the day-to-day needs.

Tricia Olayinka Ben-Davies is a first-generation Sierra Leonian holistic health advocate and survivor who was born in Brooklyn and raised in North Carolina. As a descendant of Africans from both sides of the Atlantic, Olayinka is interested in applying restorative healing approaches to individuals, families and communities impacted by the traumatic effects of racism and capitalism. Hidden Water was and continues to be a pivotal community for her to heal, learn and grow, first as a participant in 2020 and now as a Junior Keeper. Olayinka is the founder of Rose Child Healing which provides faith-based coaching and support for people who have experienced childhood trauma. She is also the co-founder of Flatbush Mixtape, a grassroots mutual aid organization that aims to establish a community-based platform for restorative healing justice through storytelling, media, art, and community-led activism. Olayinka finds peace and joy in watching classic tv shows, baking desserts and spending time in nature.